People all over are starting to catch on to xeriscaping. A few years ago, most people thought the term was spelled “zero-scaping,” because the “xeri” sounds like “zero.” They are also starting to learn that xeriscaping doesn’t mean having a desert for a lawn or an arid rock garden.

America’s love affair with the lawn began in the northeast, where rain is plentiful and regularly spaced throughout the year. The idea of an emerald carpet outside the front door still appeals to many folks, but sky-high water bills do not. Some who water heavily are also beginning to feel a little irresponsible. Water to irrigate a lawn may well be several times higher than all the water used in the household—an early morning soaking for the lawn uses several days’ worth of showers, toilet flushes, and dishwasher and laundry cycles. In some urban areas of Texas, like San Antonio, fully 25% of the city’s total water usage is lawn irrigation.

Long before government intervention clamps down on scarce water and ruins their lawns, responsible homeowners are looking for alternatives that look great without requiring all that water. It feels smart, and it feels good.

More and more people are investigating xeriscaping. Part of the fun is because it’s a challenge. Maintaining a lawn is expensive, but it isn’t difficult. A dozen stores nearby will sell you the fertilizer, bug killers, weed killers, hoses, and attachments to get the job done. Xeriscaping is a little harder. It means familiarizing yourself with plants that excite the eye year round and yet are adapted to dry conditions. It means thinking through design decisions up front rather than spending hours and hours later.